Restaurant review: Island Creek Oyster Bar

Island Creek Oyster Bar (ICOB) opened in the Hotel Commonwealth two years ago to much fanfare, but I’d not visited til now. Upon entering I immediately liked the vibe of this energetic, modern looking restaurant and raw bar. I was seated near the back of this cavernous restaurant near a wall of oyster shells held back by metal mesh.

Perhaps it was the name of the restaurant or proximity of all those oyster shells, but we started our meal with a sampling of oysters that included: Island Creek – MA; East Beach Blonde – RI; Hama Hama – WA; and Kumamoto – WA. While I enjoyed them all, my favorites were the East Beach Blonde from RI and the Hama Hama from WA visible on the left side of the image below.The menu is nearly all raw bar, shell fish and seafood with main courses ranging in price from $21-$32; note the menu changes regularly and pricing fluctuates. Cheaper options are available including a Fish & Chips I saw served which looked delicious for $15.

The staff was very helpful through out our meal and despite bringing us the wrong bottle of wine service was flawless. I ordered the Point Judith Fluke (shown below) with porcini and morel mushroom risotto and English peas for $25. The fish was perfectly prepared and the risotto so creamy it had me scraping the plate to eat every last morsel.

I’d highly recommend trying this restaurant and raw bar, but would suggest visiting the first half of the week when it is less crowded. Although ICOB is always busy so it goes without saying that reservations are most definitely recommended.

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